God is with you . . . even when you are having a very bad day.

After my own very bad day — many, in fact — God encouraged me with a surprise vineyard moment. Later as I prayed and thanked my Lord, I felt moved to write my own doxology to Him.

Image by krosseel

Heartbreak seems to come in clusters. When one door is slammed shut, I courageously get over it, get on with life because I know there is something better up ahead. The eternal optimist and believer of good things–that’s me.

But when I continually encounter lost dreams, divorce and sickness in the family, an ailing mother, shut down plans and the occasional vertigo; the energy and zest starts to evaporate. I need something powerful to hang on to when I experience a very bad day.

On Labour Day weekend (2010) in Canada, I was walking through the vineyards with my son when we encountered the most gorgeous, unusual hidden treasure. Tucked away in one of the rows of grapes was a banquet table; complete with fine china, wine glasses, fresh fruit, gorgeous colored napkins and table runners and beautiful orange shawls thrown over the backs of the chairs.

I blinked twice to grasp the enormity of this picturesque scene, and my son and I stopped and stared. It was magnificent. Puzzled and yet with smiles on our faces, we continued our walk.

A few days later I got more bad news. Now I was desperately searching for my long-lost zest and hope for better days. The next day I happened to be reading about the Apostle Paul while he was in prison in Ephesus. Now this man was not only having a bad day. He was having a hard life. Yet at the end of Ephesians Chapter 3 the man bursts into a doxology:

“Now glory be to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of-infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.”

I needed God to do something BEYONDmy present horrible, no good, very bad day. I prayed and asked God to give me a doxology. Here is what He whispered to me.

Yea, though I walk through Your glorious vineyards,

My soul is heavy and dark from disrupted plans and an unknown future.

Yet you prepare an orange banqueting table in the presence of my sadness.

You feast my eyes with delight and fill me with surprise.

Though the dark waves of doubt and lies hasten to engulf me,

You place treasures on my path to remind me:

THAT:

You are the ONE and ONLY true God–nothing is too hard for YOU.

You are omnipotent; yet intimate

You are mysterious; yet full of promises.

You are invisible; yet reachable.

You are unpredictable; yet always faithful.

You are far, but always near.

You surprise me; but you are always able;

You point out my selfishness; then fill my cup.

You break me down; then build me up.

You give me desires, but nothing fulfills me like Your love.

You say I am your delight; yet You are the One who brings me delight.

You woo me, love me, put up with me; listen to me, hurt me and then transform me.

You are 3 in 1; yet you are the ONLY ONE.

You are the door to my future

YOU ARE ABLE

Nothing is too hard for You.

I CHOOSE TO TRUST YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE GOD,

As I was writing this doxology, the tears kept soaking my keyboard. The release of pain was so freeing, and it changed my perspective of my very bad day. I shifted my focus and attention to the ONE whose plans for my life are BEYOND my present troubles. There is always a new season BEYOND what I am experiencing right now.